Never been...HELP!!!

We have never been out of the country so are super confused! A travel agent sent me to this site to check it out...To be honest I always said no to Jamaica but the post and info on this place looks amazing!! Any suggestions on which place to stay, what to do, etc... It is two couples and one is on their honeymoon the other has never taken a real vacation with out kids or a honeymoon!!!
Thanks in advance!

If you want a great beach, choose Couples Negril or Swept Away. If you want romantic ambiance and privacy, choose Sans Souci (my fav). CTI is smaller, more hotel-ish. Food is to die for at any of the 4, so you can't go wrong choosing one. Congrats on choosing Jamaica also, you will love it.

Any of the Couples Resorts would be a great place to start...and keep going. We were married at CSS and it is smaller than the others and a bit more romantic. The drawbacks, if you can call them that, is that half of the resort is built into the hill side so there are a lot of steps and the other thing is that the beach is smaller and man made. The northern shore of Jamaica is not prone to have natural beaches. We have stayed the last 2 years at CSA in Negril and are going back again this April. Nice flat spread out resort located on the Seven Mile Beach for walks and a great view of the sunsets. Still, any of the four Couples Resorts will give you a great experience with friendly service, great food, and plenty to do on and off the resort. Enjoy! You won't regret choosing Couples.

Four years ago when looking to go on our honeymoon after 29 years, three kids and three grandkids I was adament about not going to Jamaica. I research many sites. Finally, after never gone anywhere out of the country I thought it would be wise to contact a TA. I told her what I was looking for. NO Jamaica! Well, thank heavens she talked me in to Couples!!!! She had great reasons but the selling point was the relatively quick travel (We live in Central NY). Travel there is great but it is no longer the selling point. We went to CN and they think of everything. We've since brought friends back. One is a world traveler who said it was the best vacation he had ever been on. It is an amazing place and with amazing people. We were there once with players from the NFL and we were all treated exactly the same. The beauty of no tipping. Looking forward to our next trip in 15 days! Book. You won't regret it.

Swept Away is 100% amazing! I felt the same way about Jamaica, but gave it a shot for my husband. I fell in
love. There is so much space at CSA it never feels crowded, there are plenty of restaurants and BEAUTIFUL beaches. The people who work there are some of the friendliest people I have ever known. I HIGHLY recommend taking a vacation to CSA

My suggestion is to click the tabs at the top of the page to read and learn about the different Couples resorts. Look at the photos and descriptions, read the message board and post specific questions if you have them. You will get lots of help here for anything you are unsure of or even just curious about.

Don't be nervous about travelling to Jamaica, it is really quite routine and no extraordinary planning is needed. One thing different from domestic travel, if you do not have passports yet get them asap. You are on a good lead as far as considering a Couples resort. They are gorgeous, relaxed and will provide a vacation you will remember the rest of your life.

Relax. We had never travelled out of the country either until our first trip to Jamaica a few years ago. If you are not comfortable making travel arrangements yourself find a good travel agent to guide you through the details and planning. But it is not as scary as you think to do things on your own.

You will get lots of recommendations here from people touting their favorite Couples resort. Make your decision on which seems to meet your needs and wants the best. Our favorite is Swept Away because of the beautiful beach and grounds, great food, simple but elegant rooms and the relaxed and romantic atmosphere. But as we say around here, pick the one that seems to call to you.

Your travel agent has sent you to the right spot. My DH and I had travelled several times to Mexico and to Cuba before we decided to try Jamaica. We will now be heading back to Couples Negril for our 4th visit in 31 days (5 time to Jamaica). It truly is a magical island....the Jamaican people are the most heart-warming, wonderful people you will ever meet.....and Couples Negril....what can I say, it is the epitome of paradise. Keep reading the message board, you will gain lots of valuable knowledge to help you make an informed decision on coming to Jamaica.

All 4 Couples are great and all are a little different in their own special way. We have been to all but CTI. I think the best advice is to read up (all 4 of you) on this message board and you will eventually know which one calls to you. Rest assured, you cannot make a wrong decision.
I'd be curious to know what your reservations are (were?) about Jamaica. Too many people (and I know some) have many misconceptions about Jamaica.
We have been going every year since 2003. The two main reasons we return each year is meeting and getting to know the wonderful people of Jamaica and, of course, Couples.
If you choose Couples, you'll be hooked and whichever one you choose, do yourselves a favor and go into town on a Couples shopping trip or bar trip or on your own by cab. Strike up a conversation with the locals and the staff at the resort. It could very well be one of the highlights of your trip.
As the saying goes for Jamaica...once you go, you know! Oh how true!

We too had never been "world" travelers. Not even as far as Mexico border crossings. Of course I guess you could count the time I went to Canada 15 yrs ago on a week long fishing trip. But that was before marriage and kids. Anyway, we did hours upon hours of research before deciding. Have no idea why we landed on Jamaica, or even Couples. We had never even heard of Couples, much less Negril. Only thing I can say is that we were sold on the value, all inclusive (FOR SURE), options (to include dining and recreation), location, and they do a great job of advertising on their website. At first we had only heard of Couples by searching the web. We were apprehensive and had a lot of questions. Once we were surrounded by the Couples ambiance, we had no more questions that we had chosen the right place. We stayed for 7 days at CN in June 2010. We met great people and had an absolute wonderful time. We will be returning in June 2012 for a 10 day stay. This time we have "sold" the Couples idea to friends, and they will be joining us. Couples best advertising is that by those that have been there and love it. Our friends never even had to do a web search, we did it all for them. We absolutely love this place and will return as often as funds allow. With this being said, you can not go wrong with whichever location you choose, as long as it is Couples. Go and ENJOY!

All the posts that I have read in answer to your questions have very good advice. I think that the most important point to make is, you really can't go wrong in choosing any of the four resorts.
Couples is an extrodinary name in Jamaica and around the world.
A lot of the time, when a couple finally decides which resort to visit, it becomes their "favorite". One place is not any better than the other. Each one will give you one of the very best vacations you have ever had. We started going to Couples in 1995, and have been back to the same resort 32 times. That ought to tell you something. Repeaters make up a large portion of couples that keep going back. The saying is, "Once you go, you will know".
Dirtleg offered good information in his post.Look at all four resorts. Take the virtual tour. Very often, one place just sort of "speaks to you".
And as he also said, we are here to help. Most, if not all, of us are passionate about the resort we have been to. We can give you good honest, if not a bit predjes, information. Don't be afraid to ask.
Remember to apoly for your passports as soon as you can. Sometimes it can take a while.
Jamaica is a beautiful country and the people are very very friendly. Also, there is nothing to fear while you are there.

The very first time we went to Jamaica, It was such a culture shock! We were going to a Montego Bay resort that was very cheap, (it was nice though) and during the drive there, I kept looking at the little shacks, cows and goats running around, thinking I can't stay here. I managed to get through the vacation but swore I would never go back. The jamaican people were pushy, and in your face. Where was the warmth that I had heard about? On a cruise we stopped in to Ocho Rios, I really didnt expect much. I realized that the Jamaican folks are who they are and that
they werent rude and pushy, just upfront about what they want to say, OMG, we had such a great time I was ready to try again. WE picked Sans Souci and what a beautiful property, the staff were wonderful, food was
amazing and I can't believe I almost missed one of the most fantastic places in the world because I was an idiot! We also went to CN and thoroughly enjoyed it, but we missed our CSS so we are heading back there in May.

I hope this explains a little about a first time trip to Jamaica. Just go with the flow, Tip the guys from the bus who put your luggage on the bus to the driver. Anything off Couples is Tip-able. Make sure you get Massages while you are there, and try the AN side. Life is way too short not to give stuff a go! I love sunset beach, the hubby, not so much,